The Villain is Too Good at Sniping

2. Sion (2)

Esperanza Mansion, Grand Hall.

About twenty of Esperanza’s family members had gathered in one place.

The stained glass with its vibrant colors was still being illuminated by the thunder outside. The family members, who had been gazing out the window with bored faces, began to murmur.

“The instructor is late.”

“When is it starting?”

“It’s okay if they don’t come, but…”

Just then, a man with a sharp gaze raised his hand.

It was Camille Esperanza, the twenty-five-year-old eldest son of the Esperanza family. Although he didn’t say a word, the murmurs died down at Camille’s gesture.

Today was an important day. The training we’d been doing so far was only theoretical and basic. The real Esperanza curriculum was just about to begin.

Also, today was the day we’d receive the Esperanza assassination manual.

All the training we’d done so far was just a rehearsal for today. After going through the ritual today, we’d become true members of the Esperanza family.

Finally, I could become a true Esperanza assassin. Camille’s eyes drew a circle.

The ritual was today.

For just one day, Esperand’s warehouse opens.

The weapons inside the warehouse are treasures collected by Esperand. In terms of quality, they are not inferior to the top-grade equipment of the Hunters’ Association.

The Esperand children gathered here will choose their own weapons from among these treasures. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and if they miss it, they will have to acquire their own equipment at their own expense.

As expected.

“Hopefully, he’s not skipping out today.”

Camille’s gaze swept across the grand hall and then settled. Soon, his brow furrowed.

“Still, he’s not here.”

One seat was empty. The name of the missing Esperand family member was…

“…Shion Esperand.”

That guy who suddenly disappeared after losing to me.

Shion Esperand had not shown his face for nearly half a month.

It was a strange occurrence.

No matter how tedious and uninteresting the training had been, that arrogant guy had never skipped a single session.

But now, he was hiding in a corner, defeated in a duel.

Although it was concerning, Camille soon dismissed the thought.

What’s the big deal? Shion will do just fine. He’s always been able to handle anything.

“Is he not coming today?”

“He’ll figure it out. Ignore him.”

It seemed that Camille was not the only one who felt this way, as the name “Shion Esperand” spread quietly through the grand hall.

Camille didn’t bother to stop it. Just then, the sound of footsteps echoed from beyond the door.

The noisy grand hall fell silent in an instant. In a flash, everyone’s gaze turned towards the entrance.

Creak-

The doors opened to both sides.

The man visible through the light was not an instructor. This fact brought relief to some and anxiety to others.

A black-haired, green-eyed man with a tall, slender build, unmatched by anyone.

…Shion Esperand.

He appeared in the grand hall, receiving the gaze of all the Esperand children, but he showed no signs of nervousness.

Step by step, he walked in, his confidence unwavering.

“…That guy.”

“…He’s finally showing up.”

Some children had a lot to say, but no one dared to approach him first.

They kept their distance, clearing their throats awkwardly, like they were uncomfortable with each other. Only Camille Esperand exchanged a silent greeting with Shion.

In the oppressive atmosphere, no one spoke up. The silence continued until the instructor arrived.

***

“Everyone’s here. You all know what today’s ceremony is about.”

The series of ceremonies to become a full-fledged assassin resembled the baptism of the Catholic Church.

In Esperand, this ceremony was called the “Coming of Age.”

Although the children’s ages varied, in Esperand, a “adult” referred to a capable assassin who could fulfill their duties.

So, after this Coming of Age ceremony, they would undergo training to become a full-fledged assassin.

The atmosphere in the grand hall was heavy with an eerie sense of foreboding due to the rain and thunder outside, making it even more oppressive.

“Everyone, focus!”

Before receiving the assassination manual, a small, ornate box was placed in each of our hands. Several instructors in formal attire climbed onto the platform, watching us like hawks.

“What you’re holding is a sacred elixir made directly by the Esperanza pharmacists. You must take it here and now.”

At these words, some of the kids nervously opened their boxes and took out the elixir.

I did the same. The small, round pill inside the box emitted a mysterious aroma that wafted through the grand hall.

Although everyone had promised to take the elixir, no one was eager to do so. The instructors on the platform seemed solemn, and the heavy atmosphere didn’t help.

The instructor’s words were laced with a hint of warning: “This elixir is not some ordinary poison. It will help refine your magical powers. As members of Esperanza, you must take it.”

Only after the instructor’s words did everyone slowly begin to take the elixir. Camil Esperanza was the first to do so.

“……!”

As the heir apparent and future leader of the Esperanza family, Camil set an example for the others.

“What’s taking you so long? Take it.”

Following Camil’s lead, the kids began to take the elixir. But I couldn’t bring myself to do so.

‘…What is this elixir?’

Strictly speaking, it was indeed an elixir that could refine magical powers. But the moment I took it, I would be trapped and unable to turn back.

This elixir was cursed. I had read about it in the setting collection.

Esperanza used this elixir to control their family members. The moment I took it, I would be bound by the family’s rules.

If I didn’t comply, my magical circuits would be destroyed, and I would die. This elixir was no ordinary elixir, but a poison.

But I had no choice but to take it. The instructors were watching, and as a member of Esperanza, this was an unavoidable ritual.

The instructors on the platform, and even the elder above them, had taken this elixir. The current head of the Esperanza family, the Duke, had also taken it.

If I refused, I knew what would happen next. They would force me to take it or expel me from the mansion.

However, every curse has a countercurse.

‘I have no choice but to take it.’

I put the elixir in my mouth and swallowed it before the bitter taste could register.

The sensation of a strange energy spreading through my throat was vivid. But I didn’t feel anything drastically different.

My body wasn’t accustomed to magic in the first place. After being possessed for a short time, I realized that my body had built a wall against magic.

The effects of the elixir would manifest soon. At the same time, Esperanza’s curse would take root in my body, causing problems.

The instructor descended from the platform, confirming that everyone had taken the elixir. He nodded to the instructors, who stepped forward.

“Well done. Let’s move on to the next step.”

A long, covered table stretched out before us. Something seemed to be piled underneath the cloth.

“You have now become true members of Esperanza. From now on, you will face hellish training. Some of you may be discouraged, while others will be satisfied with their achievements.”

But before that—

The instructor paused, clearing his throat a few times.

“Each of you will need a suitable weapon.”

At the instructor’s signal, the cloth covering the table was lifted, revealing a treasure trove of artifacts and relics collected by Esperanza.

Swords, spears, bows, crossbows, whips, and knuckles.

Numerous weapons were laid out before us. The training swords we had used until now were incomparable to the radiant aura emanating from the artifacts on the table.

“Those things…”

“Yeah, they’re all real artifacts.”

Until then, the children’s faces had been stern, but their eyes were now fixed on the table. Kamille Esperanza, who had been watching with a serious expression, was also among them.

Gulp-

Kamille, who was swallowing hard, couldn’t take his eyes off a particular sword.

A cross-shaped sword.

It was a weapon that had become Kamille’s mainstay in the original story, but its name was unknown. However, even I, who knew nothing about swords, could sense its beauty.

“From now on, you’ll be experiencing gate training, battling demons, and undergoing rigorous training. The weapons you choose now will be your comrades in arms within the gate, so choose wisely. All decisions and judgments are yours to make, and the instructors will not interfere.”

The treasures sparkled like jewels, but no one dared to approach the table.

The children stood at attention, waiting for the instructor’s orders. They were like soldiers awaiting commands.

“Then, let’s choose in order.”

Only after the instructor’s words did the children approach the table.

Some were nervous, while others walked up confidently. It wasn’t unusual for conflicts to arise, but everyone carefully chose their desired weapons.

Most of them chose swords.

Some picked up bows and wands. There were also those who chose shields and gauntlets.

One child even chose a short sword that radiated a dark, ominous energy.

“If you’re not going to choose, step aside.”

A girl with a whip coiled around her arm brushed past me, casting a sideways glance.

Everyone had chosen their weapons. But I…

“Shion Esperanza.”

…still hadn’t chosen a weapon.

“If you’re having trouble choosing, the instructor can provide guidance.”

The children who had chosen their weapons and the instructor on the platform looked at me.

To be honest, I was experiencing decision paralysis. I had carefully examined the options, but none of them appealed to me.

The treasures on the table were dazzling, but I was a modern person who had lived on Earth, and I had never even touched a sword or spear. Everything seemed unfamiliar to me.

The weapon I chose now would be my partner throughout my training. Perhaps it would even remain with me after I completed my training.

The children here had all discovered their talents early on and chosen weapons that suited them.

But I didn’t know what my talents were. The person I had possessed, Shion Esperanza, was a character who didn’t exist in the original story.

I didn’t even know what Shion had done before I possessed his body. That was the reality.

“Shion Esperanza, what weapon do you desire? Choose carefully.”

The instructor called my name twice, then stopped. He was watching me with his arms crossed, and although he didn’t say it, I could sense the invisible countdown had begun.

I looked at the weapons on the table again.

First, there was the sword, chosen by most of the children.

“Not this one, at least.”

I had only held kitchen knives and military sabers before. Moreover, Shion’s hands didn’t have any calluses. If he had used a sword, he would have had muscles or something, but his body wasn’t like that.

So, the sword was out.

Next to it were bows and wands. Considering Shion’s pitiful physical strength, the bow was out of the question.

But should I choose the wand?

There wasn’t a single book related to magic in Sion’s room. And to begin with, Sion’s magical power was at a pathetic level.

If he had been interested in magic, there would have been at least some clue.

“No way.”

There were no magic-related items in Sion’s room, so a wand was out of the question.

There were many weapons, ranging from close-range weapons like swords and knuckles to various long-range armaments.

However, it wasn’t possible to grab just any of them carelessly. Although I had swung them around in the game, they were weapons I had never actually handled in reality.

“…….”

But there was one.

I knew a weapon that existed. I reached out and grasped it with confidence.

Among the many weapons, it was a small, unique frame with a black pistol.

The grip felt extremely familiar in my hand. Perhaps the special privilege the angel had promised me was this.

“Is that your weapon, Sion Esperand?”

“Yes.”

“Once you choose a weapon, you can’t go back. Are you sure you’ve made the right choice?”

“I don’t plan on going back.”

I heard whispers from all directions.

“Why did you pick that? You should’ve chosen a bow. That thing can’t even penetrate a low-grade barrier.”

“Maybe it’s because it was just lying around in the room.”

“Didn’t he originally use a dagger? Why did he suddenly change?”

I felt numerous gazes on my back. It was only natural, as the weapon I had chosen was different from the ones they were holding.

The true identity of the grip that fit so perfectly in my hand was a firearm, a pistol similar to the “Glock” from Earth.

The reason a pistol existed among the cold weapons like swords and spears was that it was an artifact in its own right.

…It was as if someone had created a comprehensive jam-packed game, and it really existed.

To explain this strange harmony, I had to go back to the history of the original game.

The world I had possessed, namely “Grimoire Tales,” was originally a modern fantasy RPG game with collection elements. That was until the update.

It was as if I should have known when the season pass came out. Like any other failed game, Grimoire Tales continued to add stories through updates, and the game volume expanded accordingly.

In the end, Grimoire Tales became a comprehensive jam-packed game that mixed various genres due to the endless addition of content.

“…Damn failed game.”

I remembered playing with guns only, thinking it was a concept play.

Guns were considered trash in this world, but originally, Grimoire Tales was a game where the main characters existed, and the player was their “assistant,” working together to overcome events.

Guns were inferior to bows or wands in terms of firepower, and had minor flaws like reloading time and ammo supply, making them unpopular among players.

However, that was precisely why they were the optimal weapon for supporting the main characters.

Click-

The slide automatically pulled back. The pistol, an artifact with magical processing, emitted an unusual aura.

I wore the holster that was part of the set and inserted the Glock.

Upon meeting the conditions, some special privileges have been unlocked.

…The earsplitting noise that felt like it was going to tear my eardrums apart was exactly at that moment.

[Weapon Selection Complete]

The player will be granted abilities corresponding to the chosen weapon.

New Talent – ‘Mingsasu’ has been acquired.

Characteristics – ‘Thousand Li Eyes’ have been acquired.

Characteristics – ‘Watcher’s Eyes’ have been acquired.

Characteristics – ‘???’ have been acquired.

Time remaining until the event – 915:57:42

May good fortune be with you.